A/N: Here is my new story. I am super excited about this one, and hope you all like it.

This story is different than my last story and it takes place when Ana was born. Christian and Ana will have the same age gap but their life takes on a different path than in the original trilogy since her biological father never died when she was born. The same goes for Christian, his mother never died when he was 4.

I am aiming on at least one update a week but know that sometimes life gets in the way.

My husband is in the Marine Corps so I know and understand what goes on when being a military family, and that is what Ana is going to grow up as, so once again I hope you all like it.

If anyone has any questions about the story just review or PM me and I will try to answer without giving too much away. I have some big ideas for this story but most of all what comes to me when writing.

Just know that since there is an age gap between C&A, it will take sometime for them to meet, but I do not plan to keep you waiting for too long.

Enjoy!

September 10, 1989

Montesano, WA

Carla

"Oh Frank look at her" I tell my husband while I stare down at my daughter in my arms.

"She's so beautiful. You did good honey" he said and gives me a kiss on my forehead.

"What should we name her?" I ask him while playing with her little fingers.

"I thought you liked the name Anastasia?" he said with a frown.

"I do. I didn't know if you liked it or not" I tell him.

"I like whatever you like honey" he said with a smile. I look over at my husband and thank god every day I have him by my side.

Frank and I met my junior year in high school, he was a senior. It was instant attraction from the moment I looked at him. He was tall with wavy brown hair and light blue eyes, so much like my own. For such a handsome man, he was extremely shy. He was well liked in school but for some reason he had this quiet nature about him that you couldn't help but like. I was more of a loner in school so seeing Frank every day made my day better. I only had a couple of friends here and there but none I can say were my best friends. For someone being a loner, you would think that I was this shy awkward girl who stood in the back of the crowd and never wanted to talk with anyone, but I was the opposite. I was not shy nor was I awkward, the popular kids just never wanted to talk to me or sit with me at lunch. That all changed when Frank came up to me that rainy cold day over a year ago…

Flashback

"Um…hi" all of a sudden I heard a deep voice say to me. I was standing outside in the cold rain after school waiting for my mother to come pick me up.

"Hi" I said in surprise and I blush a little when I realize who it is.

"Carla right?" he said while shifting from foot to foot.

"Yes, and your Frank right?" I say but already knowing the answer.

"You know my name?" he said surprised.

"Why wouldn't I?" I frown. Does he really not know how gorgeous and popular he is?

"I don't know. I didn't think you knew I existed" he said blushing bright red.

I giggle at the sight of him embarrassed.

He is wearing dark blue jeans and a red plaid shirt that he has tucked in his pants. He is also wearing Chuck Taylors. He's adorable.

"I'm I really that funny?" he said offended.

"Yes you're adorable actually" I say amused.

"So um…would yo-ou like to go out sometime?" he stutters while rubbing the back of his neck. He is not even looking at me when he says this.

He's asking me out? I am wide-eyed and trying to form a response but nothing comes out.

Say something Carla!

He's taken my silence as a no, so he doesn't say anything else, he just starts to walk off with his head bowed and his shoulders hunched, right in the raid.

I start to panic.

"What…Wait!" I yell at him while running in his direction, getting drenched in the process. He stops walking and turns slowly when I get to him.

"I'm sorry. Yes I would love to go out with you" I smile. My hair is sticking to my face, my clothes are soaked through but I couldn't care less.

"You…really?" he asked in disbelief.

"Of course" I giggle again.

"Great! So um…can I get your number?" he says. He has the biggest grin on his face which makes him even more handsome.

I nod enthusiastically and I take a pen from my backpack and take his hand in mine and write my home phone number on his palm, never missing the fact that I feel a strong current running through my hand and up through my arm.

I think he feels it too, because when I look up at him he is looking at me with wonder. He gives me a shy smile and takes his hand away.

"Can I call you tonight?" he asks hopeful.

"Please do" I say while beaming up at him.

He smiles shyly again and nods his head, making his soaked brown hair fling into this face.

"Until then…um…" he is speechless again and when I am about to say something to help him out he leans in quickly and kisses my cheek and then runs off with a spring in his step.

I am frozen to the spot and I reach up and touch my cheek with my fingers where I felt that strong current again when his lips touched my skin, I smile until my cheeks hurt.

I hear a car horn and see my mom pull up. I start to skip to my mom's car, still with the goofy smile on my face.

End of Flashback

After that day in the rain, Frank called me and we went on our first date that weekend. He took me out to the drive in movie theatre, we sat in his car and watched (well tried to watch) the movie that was in front of us but either of us watching it because we couldn't take our eyes off of each other for a second at a time.

When he graduated high school, he went to college first while I was finishing up my senior year in high school and when I graduated I attended college for a while, but I had to drop out because we found out I was pregnant at just 19 years old. He dropped out of college and joined the United States Marine Corps. This precious bundle in my arms was the reason for his decision. He wanted to give our baby a good life and to give the baby stability and a good home.

He finished boot camp three months ago, and I stayed in Montesano with my parents. He came back to Washington when he was finished with basic training, and Frank is training on a DET to Fort Lewis Army base in Pierce, almost two hours away.

I gave birth to a healthy baby girl, 8 pounds, 3 ounces, and 19.5 inches long at 8:45am on September 10, 1989.

Frank will be training on the military base for about a year and then we will be on our way to our first duty station; which means that the government will relocate us to one of the Marine bases for his permanent job. We decided to live on base, since it's a cheaper way to live. After that, we plan to buy are first home when our baby turns one years old.

I come out of my thoughts when Frank touches me shoulder.

"You alright honey?" he frowns.

"Yes, I'm just thinking about how we first met" I smile.

I look down and see our baby girl yawn real big. I giggle a little at the sight.

"That was special, but nerve-racking for me" he says with a nervous laugh and rubs the back of his head.

I bite my lip to stop from laughing. To this day, he is still embarrassed whenever we talk about how we first met that day in the rain.

"It's okay Frank. I think I loved you even then" I say lovingly at him while bouncing the baby with my arms. She is starting to fuss a little bit.

"I love you too honey. Here, let me hold my angel before I have to go" he says while holding his arms out for the baby.

I am immediately disappointed. Frank has to leave to go back to Fort Lewis because he needs to attend some training for tonight. He was only aloud to come to the birth of our baby, and then he has to drive all the way back to the base.

I agree and hand him our baby.

"Hey angel" he says softly, and then smiles down at our daughter.

"I love the name Anastasia" he said and looks up at me. His blue eyes widen in joy of her name.

"Me too. How about Anastasia Rose Lambert?" I ask.

Frank is standing there holding our daughter in his green and brown camouflage camies.

"It's perfect. Okay Annie. I love you with all of my heart and soul. You be a good girl for mommy and I will be back tomorrow" he says softly to her and then bends down and gives her a kiss on her little forehead.

I tear up a little because I hate to see him leave us so soon after having our daughter, but the life of a military family, him going away from us often is something I need to get used too.

He comes over to me and hands me the baby. I take her and kiss her rosy pink cheek. She is such a beautiful baby. She has curly mahogany brown colored hair, crystal clear blue eyes that are like mine, full pouty lips, and frank's cute little button nose. She is the perfect mix of us both.

"I love you honey. I will be back tomorrow night" he says. He leans down and kisses me softly on the lips.

"I love you too Frank. Come back to us safely" I say almost as a whisper. I am trying hard not to cry but I don't succeed and the tears start to fall.

Darn hormones

"Honey don't cry. I will be back before you know it" he says then wipes the tears from my eyes.

"Promise?" I ask hopeful.

"I promise. Now you both get some sleep" he smiles and kisses both of us once more. He picks up his gear from the floor, and then he is gone.

September 11, 1989

5:27am

Ring

Ring

Ring

What in the world is that?

I am sleeping on the uncomfortable hospital bed. I have just been up an hour ago with baby Annie breast feeding. Surely she doesn't want more to eat?

I sit up slowly, groggy and stiff from only sleeping for such a short time.

Then I hear that noise again.

Ring

Ring

Ring

Oh it's the telephone.

I lean over Ana's basinet that is by my hospital bed and reach over to the phone quickly so it doesn't wake her up.

I snatch it and look over to her and she stirs for a little bit in her pink blanket but she calms down and goes back to sleep.

I answer the phone in a whisper, trying not to arouse her again.

"Hello?" I whisper.

"Mrs. Lambert? This is the front desk. I have some military officials here to see you. They say that it is urgent" a girl says into the phone.

"Um…okay I will be right down" I frown. Wonder what this could be?

They hang up and I set the phone back into the cradle and get out of bed slowly.

I am still super sore from being in labor for 17 hours. She is a stubborn little thing, and didn't want to leave me I guess. I hope she is not this stubborn when she gets older.

I get my robe that is hanging on a hook on the back of the bathroom door and I put it on. I look at Ana one last time to make sure she is sleeping and when she is I leave her and go out the door.

When I am in the hallway, I see a nurse walk by and I tell her that I have some business at the front desk and she agrees that she can watch over the baby until I return.

I thank her, and then leave her when she goes inside my room to look over Annie and I walk to the front desk.

I round the corner slowly, trying not to walk to fast since I am still sore from delivery.

When I get around the corner, I see two uninformed service members standing at the front desk. One of them looks like a Marine, but the other looks like a Chaplain.

Oh no

"Mrs. Lambert?" the service member asks while clasping his hands behind his back. He stands up straight, and his face is impassive.

"Yes?" I whisper. I clutch my stomach with one hand and my back with the other. It's somewhat painful to walk.

"We wanted to inform you that there was an accident involving your husband Franklin Lambert" he says impassively.

"What? Is he okay?" I panic.

"Yes ma 'me. He wasn't hurt but most of his training unit was injured, and there were some causalities" he said.

"Oh my goodness. I…is Frank going to come back?" I ask sadly. I am relieved that Frank is okay but heartbroken that some marines lost their lives.

"Yes Mrs. Lambert. We usually call when a service member is injured but the Marine Corps knew you have just given birth so we wanted to personally come down here and inform you" he nods.

I don't say anything, I just stand there stunned. What if Frank was one of the men who died? Ana would have to grow up without a father. I am extremely sad at the thought that I start to tear up but bite my lip to prevent the tears from falling.

"Mrs. Lambert, LCPL Lambert will be arriving sometime today. Again, we just wanted to inform you of what happened" he says this when I don't say anything.

"Yes, of course" I say softly but distracted.

The service member nods.

"Good day Mrs. Lambert and Congratulations on the baby" he says then bows his head and turns around and leaves with the chaplain.

"Thank you" I say to their retreating figures.

"Ma'me are you alright?" a nurse says with a frown.

I must have been still standing there, I didn't realize I have not moved from my spot.

"Yes, thank you" I try to smile but I don't succeed. I am still stunned.

"Well, if you need anything just press the nurse button" she says and starts typing on her computer again.

I walk back to my room slowly in a daze.

What if I lost Frank?

I make it to my room without any problems and see the nice nurse place my baby back in her bassinet.

"She just needed a diaper change" she explains when she sees me coming into the room.

"Thank you so much for watching her for me" I say grateful.

"No problem, if you need anything just let me know" she smiles and then leaves the room.

I walk to my bed and sit down and just stare at my baby who is sleeping peacefully, wrapped up in her pink blanket, without a care in the world.

"Don't worry Anastasia, daddy will be here soon" I say softly to my daughter.

I cry silently on my bed, grateful and relieved that my husband is alive and safe, but sad that there was death.

September 11, 1989

4:05pm

"CARLA!" I hear someone raise their voice out in the hallway.

I am feeding the baby when the door flies open and Frank is standing in the entrance looking tired and worn out in his camies.

"Oh Frank" I start to cry when I see him before me.

"Don't cry honey. I'm here" he says and walks towards me and hugs me the best he can due to the baby in my arms.

"I was so worried when they came to tell me what happened" I cry in his shoulder.

Thank goodness he is okay.

"I know honey, I am fine and I am not going anywhere okay?" he says softly while wiping my tears away with his thumbs.

"What happened?" I ask when I calmed down. Ana is done nursing so I put her on my shoulder and start to burp her while patting her back firmly.

"It's a long story, I'll tell you later. I am grateful though. I made a friend today" he said sadly.

He sits on my bed and rubs the back of his head with his hand.

"Who?" I ask him. Ana is done burping so I take her off my shoulder and hand her to Frank.

He sighs relived and raises her to his shoulder and hugs our baby tightly.

"An army fellow who helped me. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't be here" he says while squeezing his eyes shut and kisses Ana's head repeatedly.

"What is his name? Whoever it is I want to thank him in person for saving your life and bringing you back to me and our Annie" I say.

Grateful for this service member, and indebted to him for bringing my Frank back to where he belongs.

He smiles softly but never takes his eyes off of Ana.

"Raymond Steele".

A/N: So what do you think? Sorry if there were any mistakes.

There will be a pinterest board for this story but I will try to update it in upcoming chapters.

See you guys soon, Please review if you guys are interested in reading more.

Elizabeth X